Rethinking “The Line”: Saudi Arabia’s Changing Vision for Neom

posted on: Mar 11, 2026

By Claire Keefe/Arab America Contributing Writer

In 2021, Saudi Arabia unveiled one of the most ambitious development projects in modern history: The Line. This futuristic linear city is planned to stretch approximately 170 kilometers (105 miles) across the desert as part of the main NEOM project. This is a $500+ billion sustainable city project introduced in Saudi Arabia, representing a “new future”. Promoted by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the plan outlined a revolutionary urban model with no cars or roads. The Line immediately became one of the most regarded development proposals worldwide, representing the country’s drive toward economic modernization.

However, in 2026, the idea of “The Line” is beginning to shift. With signs of financial pressures and logistical challenges, Saudi Arabia’s plans have been scaled back and reconsidered. Although construction has not stopped, this reality has rendered the new plan more practical.

The Original Vision

The Line was promoted as a new, radical vision of how cities could function in the 21st century. They promoted it as extending 170 km from near the Red Sea to the city of Tabuk and housing up to nine million residents. It would be built vertically and narrow, consisting of two mirrored skyscrapers with a total width of 200 metres (660 ft) and a height of 500 metres (1,600 ft). This would make these the third-largest buildings in the country and the twelfth-largest in the world.

The city was designed to eliminate the use of personal vehicles and public roads. Transportation would rely on ultra-fast, AI-optimized, underground transit. The goal was to have passengers arrive from one end to the other in about 20 minutes. Additionally, the design ensured that daily necessities would be accessible within a five-minute walk, regardless of location.

The implementation of these plans was designed to reduce pollution and urban waste dramatically. By utilizing this vertical footprint, the project is projected to preserve 95% of the country’s natural landscape.

Why is the Plan Changing

Despite enthusiasm for this plan, the reality of building this city has proven more difficult than anticipated. Reports over the past two years suggest that The Line has faced significant design and financial barriers. According to numerous architects, the design plan included access to technology that does not exist, even in prototype form.

The overall NEOM development has been estimated to cost hundreds of billions of dollars. Financing such a massive project requires significant investment from both the Saudi government and international partners. While The Line has attracted major worldwide attention, ensuring funding will be extremely challenging.

A More Strategic Approach

Rather than creating a 170-km, 9-million-person city, The Line is transitioning to a 2.4-km, “hidden marina” pilot project, right along the Red Sea coast. This will serve as the first operational section of The Line and an experimental trial for many of the new technologies proposed. While the plan initially projected millions of citizens living in the city, the new design shows a much smaller number living there in the early phases. This gradual approach will allow engineers to refine the infrastructure and further evaluate the plan’s efficiency.

One of the most important developments in the NEOM strategy is the increasing emphasis on large-scale computing infrastructure. Components of the project are currently being considered for high-tech data center campuses, which will serve as modern digital economies. According to Isha Chaudhary, “Saudi Arabia has already taken steps in this direction, including the establishment of partnerships aimed at enhancing its data center capabilities and infrastructure. NEOM signed a $5 billion agreement with DataVolt to build a major data center facility in the Oxagon industrial zone of the project.” Additionally, the new development will include a 46,000-seat stadium for the 2034 FIFA World Cup and the world’s largest dewatering system.

Ultimately, the ever-changing plan for The Line demonstrates the complexity required to turn an innovative idea into reality. While the project initially gained immense global attention, its recent developments show that even the most visionary creations must adapt to more practical realities. As construction continues, The Line will remain an important symbol of Saudi Arabia’s goal of leading the world into a new era of technology.

Citations

Chaudhary, I. (2026, March 9). Saudi Arabia scales back the line project to build AI data centers. PA | Architecture & Technology. https://parametric-architecture.com/saudi-arabia-scales-back-the-line/?srsltid=AfmBOoodsErwnOKQl6PhY2NiBa4pBncZrP8ZgUsNpj8vMfAZiognjhV3

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